Living the Truth

[Resource Manager]

 

Living the Truth

 

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR MY LIFE IN CHRIST

 

My love to God, and my Saviour Jesus Christ

 

1. I must love the Lord my God with all my heart and soul and mind and strength. This is the first and greatest commandment, for all that follows is included in this. Mark 12:30

 

2. The service of God must be first in my life. Nothing else is more important. Matthew 6:33

 

3. It should be my constant desire to do all the Lord’s work as faithfully and as diligently as possible. Matthew 24:45-47; Acts 20:28

 

4. I must fear him who will utterly destroy the disobedient and the unfaithful. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 25:30

 

My worship with the Ecclesia

 

5. I must be faithful in my remembering of Jesus at the weekly Breaking of Bread. Nothing but sheer inability to get there should keep me from this service. Matthew 26:26,28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 2: 42; Acts 20:7

 

6. I should be at the meeting early and see that the meeting starts promptly. Slackness does not honour Christ. Romans 12:11; 1 Corinthians 14:40

 

7. I should meet my brethren and sisters with a warm, friendly, cheerful greeting. John 13:34; Romans 12:10; Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:9

 

8. In all the services I should try to concentrate with an alert mind on all that is said and done. 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 11:29

 

9. If called upon to pray in public, I should pray humbly and in simple language. Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; Ecclesiastes 5:2

 

10. By giving generously to the ecclesial collection, I am giving to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 8:12-15; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7

 

11. I should put all possible effort and care into my preparation for ecclesial duties. 1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 2:15

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My Private Worship

 

12. I must pray on my own, every morning and night at least. Luke 18:1; Matt 7:7; Matt 6:9-13

 

13. I must thank God for everything, even the most ordinary things, and say a short grace for every meal. Eph 5:20; Col 3:15-17; 1 Thess 5:18; Heb 13:15

 

14. I must read the scriptures thoughtfully every day, thanking God for them and asking Him to help me to understand them better. John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Acts 20:32

 

15. By learning a number of Bible passages, I shall become able to make my own witness for Christ in daily conversation. 1 Peter 3:15; Col 4:6

 

My Duty to Everyone

 

16. Knowing how undeserving I am of the kindness of God has shown to me, I must always seek to be kind to others even though I may think them undeserving. Matt 5:44-48

 

17. I must always be ready to help those in need, remembering the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:30-37; 1 John 3:17; James 2:15,16

 

18. I must give all the loving care I can to the sick and aged, the fatherless and the widow, especially those in the ecclesia. Romans 12:13; 2 Cor 9:6-8; Heb 13:16

 

19. I should always pay bills promptly. Rom 13:8

 

20. I should not try to force anybody to return any possessions of mine which they have borrowed or stolen. Luke 6:35

 

21. I should pray even for those who make themselves my enemies, whether in things big or small. I should respond to their evil behaviour with goodness. Luke 23:34; Matt 5:44; 1 Cor 4:12,13; 1 Peter 3:9; Rom 12:21

 

22. My Lord's own example forbids me to use force or violence in any way. Matt 5:39; Matt 26:52; Rom 12:17-19

 

23. I should always be courteous, even when strongly provoked, and avoid all rough. 1 Peter 3:8,9; Heb 12:14

 

24. My everyday dealings should be strictly honest and fair. I should have nothing to do with the dishonest business practices that are common in the world. Rom 12:17

 

25. In all things I must do to others as I would wish them to do me. Matt 7:12

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My Special Duty to my Brethren and Sisters

 

26. I should try always to see the best in others and not the worst. Matt 7:12; Luke 6:41; 1 Cor 13:4,5

 

27. I must not be easily offended, but rather remember how much I have been forgiven by God. Matt 5:23,24; Col 3:12-14

 

28. I should accept rebuke patiently and humbly. Heb 13:22; Heb 12:1-11; 2 Cor 7:8-11

 

29. I must be ready to forgive with all my heart any offence against myself. God will not forgive me unless I do. Matt 18:21,22,35; Eph 4:31-32

 

30. Fighting and cursing must have no part in my life in Christ - only the world does such things. Titus 3:2; 2 Tim 2:24

 

31. I need to take care that weaker brethren and babes in Christ are not caused to stumble by anything I do or say. Rom 14:13,21; 1 Cor 8:13; Matt 18:6

 

Relationships with my Friends and Family

 

32. I need to be careful about the company I keep. Some friends would help me, but others would only hinder me in my efforts to follow Christ. 1 Cor 15:33; 1 Cor 5:6; Phil 4:8

 

33. I should seek the company and fellowship of brethren and sisters and choose my friends in the ecclesia. 1 Peter 4:3-5; Eph 5:6-8; Acts 2:42; Heb 10:24-25

 

34. I must avoid fornication and adultery, even though the world may think them natural. Sex outside marriage is abomination in the eyes of the Lord and is degrading of my body, which I should consider the temple of God. I must tell friends who seek to tempt me that I will have nothing to do with that kind of life. 1 Cor 5:9-11; 1 Cor 6:13,18,19; Eph 5:3; 1 Thess 4:3; Matt 5:28

 

35. If I am an unmarried person, holiness and loyalty to Christ demands that I should marry only in the Lord. It would be foolish for me to yoke myself for life with an unbelieving partner. 1 Cor 7:39; 2 Cor 6:14

 

36. If I am a husband, I should be kind and considerate to my wife, not sparing myself in any effort for her, even as Christ gave himself in sacrifice for the church. Eph 5:25; Col 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7

 

37. If I am a wife, I am to acknowledge my husband as head of the family, even as the church is submissive and obedient to Christ its Lord. Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1

 

38. Divorce is not even to be thought of: "what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder". Matt 19:4-6; 1 Cor 7:10,11

 

39. If I am a parent, I should never relax my efforts in training my children in the knowledge of the Gospel and in good behaviour. I should take care that I do not make my children resentful of the way they are treated in the home. Eph 6:4; Col 3:21

 

40. As a son or daughter, I should be obedient to my parents, whether they are in the Lord or not, unless they tell me to do something against the commands of Christ. I should give them proper respect, and not answer back. Eph 6:1,2; Col 3:20

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My Daily Work

 

41. If I am an employer, I should be kind, just and considerate to my workpeople and servants. Col 4:1; Eph 6:9

 

42. If I am in the employment of others, I am to give faithful, diligent service. I must still do this even when the employer does not give what I consider to be fair conditions or fair wages. Col 3:22-25; Eph 6:5

 

43. I must not help myself to my employer's property; I should not take even the smallest thing without asking permission first. Titus 2:9,10; Col 3:22-25

 

Principles for my Ecclesial Life

 

44. I should imitate the best examples I know in the church. 1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; Heb 13:7

 

45. I should always assist the preaching of the Gospel in every way I can, especially by supporting all the meetings. I should speak to others freely at every opportunity about the Hope which I have and which is so precious to me. Luke 12:8; Mark 8:38; 2 Tim 1:8

 

46. I need to beware of false teachers and test all that I hear by the Word of Truth. 1 Thess 5:21; 2 Peter 2:1; Matt 24:24

 

47. Complaining and grumbling do much harm. If something is so wrong that I feel I cannot ignore or forget it, I must speak to the person concerned. If he does not take any notice, I must go again with an adviser. If there is still no progress, I should then lay the matter before the ecclesia. Phil 2:14,15; Matt 18:15-17

 

48. If I nurse a grudge or resentment against anyone, refraining from the Breaking of Bread is no remedy. The only way is to ask God to remove the resentment from my heart. 1 Cor 4:5; James 3:14-15; 1 John 4:20,21

 

49. When in the wrong about any matter, I ought to admit this freely, and ask forgiveness. James 5:16; Psalm 32:5

 

50. Quarrelling must not enter into my ecclesia. We are all one family in the Lord. Even feelings of bitterness are wrong. Eph 4:29,31,32; Col 4:6; Titus 2:7,8

 

51. I should help to prevent the formation of parties or groups in the ecclesia. Is Christ divided? 1 Cor 1:12,13; 1 Cor 3:3,4; Phil 2:1-3

 

52. There is no race or class divisions in Christ. This is a thing God hates. Gal 3:28; Rev 7:9; Acts 10:34,35; James 2:8,9

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Keeping myself unspotted from the world

 

53. I should always avoid things which may provoke evil thoughts - bad films, magazines or books or any kind of low talk. Phil 4:8; Eph 5:3-4; Rom 1:28-32; 1 Peter 2:11

 

54. My speech should be kept free from blasphemy and rough language. God can hear my every word. Eph 4:29; Col 3:8; Matt 5:37; Matt 12:36

 

55. Gossip and slander are great evils, and I should avoid them altogether. Titus 3:2; Eph 4:31,32

 

56. Deceit and dishonesty even in little things are wrong. I must keep them out of my life. Titus 1:10; 1 Peter 2:1,21,22; Acts 5:1-11; Rev 22:15

 

57. I should not sue anyone in court. This is the way of the world. The way of Christ is to suffer wrong. 1 Cor 6:1-7; Matt 5:38-42

 

58. As a follower of Christ, I can have no part in elections and worldly politics, for politics mean faith in men - and my faith should be in God and His coming Kingdom. 2 Cor 6:14-18; 1 Peter 2:11,12; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:15; John 18:36

 

59. Since I have given my allegiance to Christ and have been commanded to live at peace with all men, I must not join the armed forces or police or take part in any military activity. Matt 26:52; John 18:36

 

60. As a follower of Christ, I can have no part in the Masonic brotherhood or any similar society. We have a greater fellowship which is not of this world. 1 Cor 10:20,21; 2 Cor 6:14,15; 1 John 1:3

 

61. I must guard against worldly ambition and against its evil effects upon my spiritual life and ecclesia service. 1 Tim 6:10; 2 Tim 3:1,2

 

62. Drunkenness is wrong and forbidden. My mind should always be clear to think on holy things and not muddled with drink. Rom 13:13,14; 1 Thess 5:6,7; Eph 5:18

 

63. I must keep the law of my country with scrupulous care, in the smallest as well as the big things. Only when it insists that I do things contrary to Christ is it right for me to disobey. Rom 13:1-7; Peter 2:13,14; Titus 3:1

[Resource Manager]

Making my Life Holy before God

 

64. I constantly need to strive against the lusts of the flesh, and should not allow myself to be discouraged in this by the attitude of those around me. Gal 5:16,24; 2 Tim 2:22; James 1:3,4

 

65. It is wrong to give way to hasty temper. If I have one, I must constantly fight to control it. James 1:19,20; Prov 16:32; Prov 19:11

 

66. I must always speak the truth. Lying is a great evil. The consequence of the serpent's lie in Eden are still with us. Eph 4:25; Col 3:9; Acts 5:1-11; Rev 22:15

 

67. All that I do and say should show that I am a disciple of Jesus, and I should always be on my guard against denying him. Luke 12:8; Mark 8:38; 2 Tim 1:8

 

68. I must not envy those who seem better off than myself. Luke 12:15; Matt 6:19; Heb 13:5

 

69. I should acknowledge the Father's control and providence in my life by saying, "If the Lord will", "God willing", "By God's grace". James 4:14,15; Prov 3:6

 

70. I should keep Jesus always in mind. Especially when faced with a difficulty, I should ask myself, "What would Jesus do?" 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 13:15

 

71. In all things I must aim at purity and holiness, and so pleases my Master in heaven. Rom 6:19,22; 1 John 3:3; Heb 12:14

 

72. I believe the coming of my Lord is near. I must live as one who really believes it. Matt 24:44; Matt 10:37,38; Luke 12:35-37; 2 Peter 3:13,14

 

How God will Help me

 

73. I must never be satisfied with my efforts to please God. I am weaker than I like to admit. 1 Cor 10:12; Rom 5:12; Rom 7:18-25

 

74. I should frequently ask God to strengthen me so that I may do better. Great help will be given to those who ask for it. Phil 4:6,13; James 1:5,6; 2 Cor 12:9; Eph 3:16

 

75. Even if I have been weak and sinned badly, I should not become discouraged and give up. If I am truly sorry for what I have done, and am determined to do better in future, God will forgive me and help me to try again. Luke 15:11-32; 2 Cor 7:10; 1 John 1:9

[Resource Manager]

Proverbs 4:23

 

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

 

Colossians 3:1-4

 

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

 

Booklet Author - Len Richardson

 

Published by the

Christadelphian Bible Mission, at

3, Regent Street, Birmingham 1,

England

 

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Printed by

The Press of Frank Juckes Ltd.,

Stratford Street North, Camp Hill, Birmingham 11

 

Living_the_Truth_Practical_PrinciplesCBMR.pdf